I’ve already written about the Tahiti Bronze collection, and the Under Cover collection, but here’s a video where I show you some of the products.
Enjoy!
Hydration with a Dose of Sunscreen
I really love Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost moisturizers because they’re light and absorb quickly, and so I’ve added their latest Hydro Boost Gel Cream with SPF 15 into my skincare regimen. Normally, I prefer formulas that have more than spf 15, but I’m not minding using this one right now because it hydrates so well. Literally, this is the lightest sunscreen-containing moisturizer I have ever used, and of course, it doesn’t leave a whitish cast on your skin because it’s so light.
The key is in the hyaluronic acid which boosts moisture in the skin but without being heavy. It feels like water going on but the hydration lasts and lasts.
1 pump on my face and one on my neck and I’m good to go. I ever layer it on to my hands so that I’m protected during the day. And extra bonus? It’s so light that it absorbs quickly and because it’s not at all greasy, it works rather well under makeup. Will it get rid of really dry spots? I’m not sure, since I don’t have any, but it relieves the temporary dryness you may feel after washing your face, and I’m a fan of that.
Pick it up at drugstores for about $20.
Oxygen and Vitamin C Make My Skin Very Happy
So, I’m enjoying my re-acquaintance with Caryl Baker Visage ever since they opened up in Calgary. I’m still a fan of their HD Brow service which combines an eyebrow tint with traditional shaping so that your brows look fuller and groomed.
Now, I’ve gone back for their facials and they were just thing thing I needed to get my dry skin back to its glowing self.
I went in not knowing what I really wanted, but knowing what I needed. I knew that my skin had been feeling rather parched and unmanageable even with the addition of regular moisturizers and scrubbing. So with the help of my facialist at CBV, I got the Deep Sea Purifying Facial ($110) combined with an Oxygen Facial. With the added benefit of Spirulina to moisturize, and a Vitamin C mask to brighten, this mask hydrated my skin like nothing else.
The Oxygen Facial ($110) is refreshing like nothing else. It was relaxing and I wanted to fall asleep during it, but it also was so cool and fresh that I just loved being awake to enjoy it. It feels almost like a stream of water is being sprayed at your face, and your skin just soaks up the oxygen from it. The oxygen helps your skin look clearer and brighter, can get rid of rosacea, lightens hyperpigmentation, and plumps up the skin – all naturally! It’s followed by a rich Azu-Zinc Soothing Mask which seals in the moisture and leave it feeling hydrated.
I walked out of there feeling refreshed and like I had new skin. Gone was the tightness and dryness but in its place was a glow. And no. You should not break out after a really good facial. That does not mean that it’s working. All it means is that your pores have been clogged and very likely you’ll suffer more redness and hyperpigmentation thanks to the breakouts. Five days after the facial, and my skin still looks and feels great, and that’s exactly as it should be.
I’ll go back in a month or two for another treatment and to keep my skin looking great. They also do more intensive therapies such as microdermabrasion and enzyme peels. Their only location in Calgary is at Sunridge Mall.
Nars Summer 2016 Colour Collection: Under Cover
Yep, totally on Team Nars these days. Their products and formulas continue to be easy to use and just what’s needed for each season.
The Under Cover collection is new for Summer 2016 and it has some versatile and on-trend shades for eyes, lips, and cheeks.
First: two blushes. Liberation and Sexual Content Dual Intensity Blush duos.
I gotta say that I have Liberation and I couldn’t get it to work on my skin tone. The lighter shade didn’t show up much, and the darker one was too orangy for my already yellow-based skin. If you have more fair skin, these will look great and add warmth and colour.
The eyeshadows have a place in my makeup kit.
Colours are: Deep End, Pool Shark, Tan Lines, and Topless Dual Intensity eyeshadows.
I have Pool Shark and Tan Lines and I am reaching for them all the time. Tan Lines seems like a dark colour, but it’s a pretty cocoa brown that’s only slightly darker than my skin tone and makes for a pretty warm smoky eye. Brownish smoky eyes are the way to go these days, so I’m loving it. When I want a bit of a punch I add a tap of Pool Shark to the center and it just brightens everything up. I normally don’t reach for blue shadows, but this is such a pretty glitter shade that it’s fun to wear even in the daytime.
The Dual Intensity shadow formula is awesome. They are less prone to creasing than other shadows and go on wet or dry. I use them dry in most instances and love to tap them on with just my fingertips.
There are four lip products: Members Only, Do Not Disturb, Overheated, Get Dirty.
The lip colours are super pigmented gloss/stains. They wear like melted lipsticks but leave a stain on the lips when they wear off. The nude shades are to die for and definite keepers, but Do Not Disturb is also a pretty orange/red that’s perfect for summer nights.
Check out the entire collection online and in stores.
New video: April 2016 Favourites
Wow, April went by so quickly! I definitely meant to do a whole ‘nother skincare video, but my favourite skincare products are mentioned in this favourites video instead. And as you can see, I’m going to be changing everything up soon, so stay tuned. Let me know what you want to see next!
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Dirt + Foreo = My New Favourite Way to Brush My Teeth
Brushing teeth with a hand-held manual toothbrush just isn’t for me anymore. 
I’ve seen what an electric toothbrush can do and now there’s no going back. My latest find is a silicone toothbrush by Swedish brand Foreo. It’s made completely of soft silicone that’s gentle on teeth and gums while vibrating to loosen and get rid of dirt on your teeth. The best part has to be that it only needs charging once a year, and so it basically feels like it lasts forever. It’s ideal for keeping in your purse or taking on vacation because you don’t need the charger anytime soon, and when you do, it’s a basic USB cable – yes, your computer can charge the toothbrush so no need to worry about converting voltage!
I will say that the toothbrushes are more delicate than others out there. After about a month of using one of them, the silicone in mine tore, and I need a new brush-head. I really like the brush head that combines silicone with the nylon bristles so that I feel like I’m getting more of the clean feeling that a traditional toothbrush gives, but if you really want to avoid bacteria build-up, you want the traditional silicone brush head because it’s non-porous.
$229 at Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale.
My other new find is Dirt Paleo toothpaste. Made of Bentonite Clay, Cacao Powder, and MCT Oil, this is an all-natural toothpaste (really!) that’s also paleo. It is so clean that both kids and adults can use it and the flavour is unlike anything you’ve tasted – and it’s sweetened with Stevia! Sweet and herbaceous at the same time, it’s a toothpaste that makes you feel good about brushing your teeth. At $15 for a small tube it gives other fancy toothpastes a run for their money by actually being different.
Dirt also makes oil-pulling mouthwashes, and a powder toothpaste (that tastes kind of like cinnamon) so if you’re looking for natural ways to brush, check them out.
Your Purchase Counts
You can buy a new lipstick and make a difference. Now at Caryl Baker Visage, every lipstick that you purchase from May 1 to 8 will help the Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada. $1 will be donated from the sale of each lipstick to benefit this foundation that helps children who are seriously ill and their families.
Also, on Sunday May 1, Caryl Baker will host families from the Starlight Foundation and provide the mothers and daughters with a day makeovers and an afternoon of pampering.
You know that you can make a difference too so if you pass by a CBV location (and they’re everywhere), pick up a lipstick – they come in 42 shades!
New Avon Perfectly Matte Lipstick
I know that there’s a saying that says that you should wear the makeup and not let the makeup wear you – basically that means that makeup shouldn’t always look like makeup, but should look like it suits you. But I’ve been wearing a lipstick that has such a fresh and vibrant colour that I keep get compliments on it and people keep asking me what lipstick I’m wearing – and it’s Avon’s Perfectly Matte Lipstick in Ravishing Rose, a super bright reddish pink that makes your skin look better because it looks so good.
Avon says that their Perfectly Matte Lipstick is more matte than MAC’s and having tried both of them, I don’t know about that. What I do know is that although this lipstick looks super matte, it’s creamy to apply and goes on so smoothly. That means that it doesn’t last that long either – but the colour looks so beautiful and so easy to apply for a matte lipstick that reapplication is no big deal.
Oh, and I wore it in this video so if you want to see it IRL, check it out.
Available through Avon for $5.99.
What’s Old is New: My Two Favourite Liquid Eyeliners
I’m taking a break from the gel eyeliner because the thought of cleaning a brush every day to get that nice crisp line just doesn’t appeal to me at the moment. So for now, I’m diving into my favourite black liquid liners and using those to create the little flick on the outside corner of my eye.
The eyeliner I love the most is Benefit’s Magic Ink Liquid eyeliner ($24). It goes on very wet with a fine brush that’s a little flat so you can make a bit of a thicker line. I start in the middle of the eye and go out, and then go back to the middle (without re-dipping into the pot) and go back towards the inside of the eye. It makes a line so that the inside is very thin, the middle part is thicker and the outside flick goes up just so because there’s not too much product on the brush.
The liquid kind of dries like a plastic but that means that it just stays on your lid and is resistant to even oil, most of the time. Add water and a gentle smudge with your fingers and it kind of peels off. The black is super-black and slightly shiny – just so that it adds something extra… Love it and the formula! No smudging is definitely key.
I’ve gone through about 3 bottles of this eyeliner, that’s how amazing it is.
Another oldie but goodie is the Revlon Colorstay Skinny Liquid eyeliner. It’s in the Colorstay line so you know it’s definitely going to last all day long. The applicator is more of a fine spongy nib instead of a brush, but it does the job just as well. You can really get close to the lash line with this one and make a very thin line or a thicker one. It’s cheaper, since it’s a drugstore product, but it works well too.
What’s your favourite product that you keep coming back to?
Make Up For Ever Pro-Sculpting Palette Review
For now, I’m done reaching for a bunch of different products to contour and highlight on my face. All I need is the Pro Sculpting Palette by Make Up For Ever.
Created with makeup artist in mind, this palette has four creamy colours that can help you highlight and contour easily.
The four colours are a cream highlight, a contour colour in a brown shade, a shimmery highlighting cream, and a colour that can be used as blush or as corrector.
The creams are super pigmented but need the warmth of your hands to really blend into the skin. Once on, they set and have superb lasting power on their own. What I really love is that there’s a creamy highlight and a shimmery highlight. The cream works well to brighten up the eye area, and the shimmer is great for the tops of your cheeks to catch the light.
I’m not using the colour included as a blush – it’s peach and I’m not feeling a peach blush these days. I’m more into a pink or a brown, but the peachy works well to combat dark circles under the eyes and I can use it sparingly for that.
Pick up the palette as Sephora stores for $55.